The US House of Representatives approved a budget bill Tuesday night that anchors defense aid to Israel in law and promises to fund a series of programs aimed at promoting peace in the region.
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The bill was the subject of a major dispute in Congress, but eventually most Democrat representatives voted in favor of it, while the Republicans voted against.
According to the bill, the US will provide Israel with $3.3 billion dollars in defense aid annually, as per an agreement former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached with the Obama administration in 2016.
In addition, the bill approves $50 million to support economic "opportunities" between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as $2 million for US-Israel co-development projects involving water, agriculture, and energy. Another $6 million has been approved to fund joint research between Israeli and Arab scientists.
Funding is not the only part of the bill that is of interest to Israel. The budget initiative spells out a first American plan to require more transparency in the textbooks used in schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the purpose of which is to eradiate antisemitic content and incitement that currently appear therein.
One aspect of the bill that could be thorny for Israel is the demand to establish a Palestinian state.
The Democratic Majority for Israel lobby welcomed the approval of the bill. Lobby President Mark Mellman said that only three Democratic representatives had voted against it, showing that "the overwhelming majority of Democrats in Congress support Israel."
However, many in Congress think that the bill will remain nothing more than a declaration of sorts, due to the serious conflict between the two parties that could prevent it being passed in both houses.
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